UNGASS 10-year Review - TNI

Promoting more humane, balanced, and effective drug laws in Latin America

The drug law reform project, in which a number of Latin American judicial experts and legislators participate, aims to promote more humane, balanced, and effective drug laws.

The project was created with the realization that after decades of the same drug policy, the efforts have not curved the expanding drug markets, and instead have led to human rights violations, a crisis in the judicial and penitentiary systems, the consolidation of organized crime, and the marginalization of drug users who are pushed out of reach of the health care systems. We believe it’s time for an honest discussion on drug policy strategy, aiming at significant changes in both legislation and implementation

This briefing summarizes good practices in legislative reforms around the world, representing steps away from a repressive zero-tolerance model towards a more evidence-based and humane drug policy.

The examples provide lessons learned in practice about less punitive approaches and their impact on levels of drug use and drugrelated harm to the individual and society. Evidence suggests that legislation lessening criminalization combined with shifting resources from law enforcement and incarceration to prevention, treatment and harm reduction is more effective in reducing drug-related problems. 

Legislative Innovation in Drug Policy
Martin Jelsma
Latin American Initiative on Drugs and Democracy, October 2009  

Friday 21 August 2009

ECOSOC adopts procedure for Bolivia's amendment

On July 30th the Bolivian proposal to amend the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs by deleting the obligation to abolish the chewingof coca leaf was on the ECOSOC agenda (UN Social and Economic Council). After informal negotiations, the 54 members of ECOSOC decided unanimously to pass the amendment proposal on to the Parties of the Convention for their consideration. They now have 18 months to express any objections or comments on the Bolivian request.

Wednesday 19 August 2009

The Drug War has failed. After more than 20 years of tirelessly pushing for the same policy, the efforts have not been able to bring the expanding illicit drug markets under control and instead have led to an unmanageable crisis in the judicial and penitentiary systems, human rights violations, the consolidation of criminal networks and the marginalization of drug users who are pushed out of reach of health care services. For these reasons, some Latin American countries are starting to explore a more effective and honest drug policy.

Martin Jelsma
Newsweek Argentina, August 19, 2009